A rally to defend WikiLeaks and its founder Julian Assange took place outside the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade on November 25. More than 50 people attended to demand the Australian government take firm diplomatic action to protect Assange. If extradited to Sweden from Britain, Assange faces a genuine risk of rendition to the US.
Rally chairperson Ewan Saunders said: 鈥淚t is the blatantly political nature of the proposed charges against Assange which reveal the real agenda behind this case. Why is the Gillard government supporting the US against the rights of an Australian journalist just doing his job of revealing the US government's dirty secrets.
鈥淲e want more truth, not less. We want Julian Assange at liberty to continue his important fight for free speech and the truth.鈥
Andrew Bartlett from the Queensland Greens told the rally: 鈥淭his issue is now urgent. Julian Assange faces the extreme danger of extradition to Sweden, and from there to prison in the US.
鈥淭he case involves the fundamental principle of the right to support from the Australian government for a citizen's legal and human rights.鈥